Indian Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters hold posters and chant slogans against the Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav as they take part in a protest against the gang-rape and murder of two girls in the district of Badaun, in Allahabad. PHOTO: AFP

NEW DELHI: A lawmaker from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party has described rape as a social crime, saying “sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong”, in the latest controversial remarks by an Indian politician about rape.

The political leaders of Uttar Pradesh, the state where two cousins aged 12 and 14 were raped and hanged last week, have faced criticism for failing to visit the scene and for accusing the media of hyping the story.

A regional politician from Modi’s own party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said on Thursday that the crime of rape can only be considered to have been committed if it is reported to police. “This is a social crime which depends on men and women. Sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong,” said Babulal Gaur, the home minister responsible for law and order in the BJP-run central state of Madhya Pradesh.

“Until there’s a complaint, nothing can happen,” Gaur told reporters. Gaur also expressed sympathy with Mulayam Singh Yadav, head of the regional Samajwadi Party that runs Uttar Pradesh. In the recent election, Mulayam criticised legal changes that foresee the death penalty for gang rape, saying: “Boys commit mistakes:

Will they be hanged for rape?” The BJP dismissed Gaur’s comments as an expression of his personal views, and not the party’s. Modi, who was sworn in as prime minister last week after a landslide election victory, has so far remained silent over the double killing in the village of Katra Shahadatganj, around half a day’s drive east of New Delhi. The father and uncle of one of the victims said they tried to report the crime to local police but had been turned away.

Three men have been arrested over the killings. Two policemen were held on suspicion of trying to cover up the crime. Although a rape is reported in India every 21 minutes on average, law enforcement failures mean that such crimes – a symptom of pervasive sexual and caste oppression – are often not reported or properly investigated, human rights groups say. More sex crimes have come to light in recent days.

A woman in a nearby district of Uttar Pradesh was gang-raped, forced to drink acid and strangled to death. Another was shot dead in northeast India while resisting attackers, media reports said. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he was “especially appalled” by the rape and murder of the two girls. “We say no to the dismissive, destructive attitude of, ‘Boys will be boys’,” he said in a statement this week that made clear his contempt for the language used by Mulayam Singh Yadav.

Reader Comments (53)

Why the reference of modi’s name like he said it? Tomorrow even if your car broke down you will blame it on modi. He’s prime minister for god sake 30 state have their own state govt and law makers. He’s not responsible for what “a” person from “a” state says or does. As far as security is concerned it should be directed towards respective state govt ministers that made such ridiculous statement or the the home minister of the country to issue an statement against these people not the prime minister. Having said that UP/Bihar state, the govt should issue travel advisory in the country for people travelling to these states or people coming from these states. All immigrants crime in other states mostly are traced to these states. Hold their funds for projects. This jungle raj of colliding with goons to loot all money from up and Bihar, intimidate people has to end.

Rape is never, never right. No one can freaking say it’s right. I’m a male, and I believe saying “boys make mistakes” is an even more messed up statement. Rape is wrong, and a crime. No matter what the circumstances.

Such an irresponsible statement from this Minister of Modi and that too a Home Minister. Modi should act. He should not only sack the Minister but also charge him for promoting acts that have been declared illegal.

I have lots of hope on Modi and hope he does not disappoint many like me.

Rapes hAppen a lot in pak as well and hardly ever reported…ever heard of rape conviction in pak??? Even police does not get suspended for failing to take action….also media coverage of pak is too limited…

Why do rapes happen at the rate of one every six minutes in ‘developed’, ‘civilised’, efficiently ruled countries such as the US? And, why does the Express Tribune not do some research into it and publish it for the international community?

Please note Gaur is not an ally of India’s Modi. Gaur is a member of the BJP and home minister of MP. In no way is he considered close to Modi. Their only connection is that both Modi and Gaur belong to the same party.

I have seen the entire video and Gaur’s comments are reprehensible and in poor light. No sane educated Indian will side with Gaur.

The BJP is seeing a generational shift with all stalwarts being sidelined in favor of the younger generation. Gaur unfortunately represents the old guard and it would not surprise me if he is shown the door in a few years.

MAJOR CAUSES????
We hardly come through any research paper which depicts potentials causes which leads to such inhuman barbarism. why don’t media gather and disseminate the reasons behind such cases. Why the statistical figures of rape is on lower side in countries like IRAN/ SAUDI ARABIA/ QATAR even AFGHANISTAN??? may be because there is no or less amount of what you say “vulgarity” in their main stream media which is one of the causes. More you propagate immorality through films/dramas/adds/ more chances of witnessing rape cases will be there,
Government must constitute laws to exemplary penalize the perpetrator, Furthermore, Media should also follow the code of conduct by ensuring not to misuse the medium in the name of freedom of expression….!

@Raj USA
The home minister of the state of MP made the statement, not the home minister of the country rajnath singh who works under modi-PMO. He might not even know these people. Its ridiculous to to drag modi’s name into it and not the party head in state responsible for managing party affairs in state of MP. India is too big of a country each state has its own laws and team indigenous to its state. The only connecting link between them is they being to same party ideology – nationalistic.

He must be shown the door as soon as possible, I think h at the earliest.e must be sent to Agra. But writing the name of PM mODI INSTEAD of this Minister is not jiustified at the first instance the reader took the impression as if PM said this.

@Strategic Asset:
Please also note that Bin Laden was once a US ally. He and his company of thousands of Jihadis were once trained by the US via ISI. It is not USA’s mistake that they turned terrorists! I have seen so many times that they deny every terror activity they commit. They just praised the terrorist that did it! No sane and educated citizen of any country can blame them and indirectly USA for what some individuals do?
New generation of terrorists are now taking place of the older ones. I wouldnt be surprised if I see a new Bin Laden soon!

@Faizan:
What is the logical consequence of a forced marriage? RAPE!
Whether it is a good rape or a bad rape, it is the respective society which decides!
In Pakistan such widespread rapes in forced marriages are apparently good rapes because they don’t violate any law.

@Ammad: you did not have guts to raise your voice when Farzana was killed by brothers and father using bricks in front of Lahore High Court and now you have woken up to criticise Modi for what some tinpot politician in said thousands of kilometres away. What a brave person you are!

@A Pakistanist: do you know under your law that for a woman to get conviction against rape she has to have four witnesses to rape come and say that we raped her. Who will do that? That is why rapes are not reported in the land of pure. Furthermore the lawyer defending the rape victim is likely get killed as lawyer Rahman was a few days back.

@Ammad: the reason no rape crime is reported in the countries you mention is because the rape victim has to produce four witnesses which is a difficult nay impossible. Rapes can occur in marriage when the husband forces his wife to have sexual relations. Who will be the witness for this? That is why in Muslim countries there are no rapes reported.

the way some indians are supporting this comment from a BJP member is appaling. i fail to understand why people start pointing fingers that it is happening in other countries as well. even if it is, does that make the crime that happened in india less bad? people please please grow up and have some respect for girls/women. if something bad happened it should be condemned, regardless of wheather it happens in india, pakistan or US.

I dont know why you are touching topics other than the one related to this news article.

Regarding your reference to islamic law and its requirements to prove a “RAPE” , first of all there is actually NO ISLAMIC LAW in Pakistan. You cant even call it purely hybrid. So no use arguing about that.

Secondly I am fed up of this “land of the pure” sarcasm that you Indians use.

The word Pakistan means – “Land of the Pure”.

The word Hindustan means – “Land of the Hindus”.

That makes both of us liars , but which liar came into existence centuries ago is any ones guess.

Please dont start un-necessary arguments , times have changed , traditions and civilizations have changed and still changing.
But then , I know “WHO” I am arguing with …..

this has to stop it seems pak media blames everything on modi. let me tell u something modi is pm of our country, a country of a billion people. there are law and order issues, I agree but. we will not sit and watch the culprits go unpunished. RAPE IS A CRIME and there is no justification for that. we will ensure that the victim gets justice and be prepared to report the same. on a different subject, may god bless LATIF JOHAR, we are with you.

@lol And as Usual Indians drag Pakistan into this debate. This case happened in India. Don’t try to bring what happens in other countries as an excuse. Yes bad things happen in Pakistan as well but never in my life have I heard a minister make such an absurd statement.Recommend

@Kolsat:
If you do some research, countless scholars have explained and proved that 4 witness requirement is necessary when a woman or man is accused of adultery. The punishment of adultery is 100 lashes ( for un-married) and death penalty for someone who is married. To provide safeguard to the innocent from this severe punishment no one can accuse anyone wrongly unless he produces 4 witness. Islam also establishes strict criteria for who can be qualified as a witness.

@zero:
No Indian supports this absurd statement which was in poor taste. BJP has also clearly disasscociated itself from this statement. This man is a BJP member but neither is he a federal minister nor is was he in Gujarat.mhow then is he associated with Modi?

@Moiz Omar
Evry country has crazy people. India is surely not an exception. His statements are reprehensible and his part too has disowned them – as it should be.

Many people here have rightly said that Modi isn’t the man who made such ridiculous comments. The thing is, prime ministers comment every day on important issues that concern their countries. If Modi doesn’t say anything, the message one gets, is that this isn’t an important issue in India. I would beg to differ.

These attitudes towards rape are underscored by the obviously prevalent belief, that women have little or no value. This should and does evoke moral disgust, but should also be of deep concern to anyone interested in India’s ascension to a position of economic power. There is no way that a country can reach these heights without properly engaging all of its citizens. India has the institutions and the productivity and the ingenuity and the will, but while such entrenched cast and gender prejudices are so deeply entrenched, it will never fulfil its potential.

p.s.
Anybody who thinks that this is just a law and order issue, is missing the bigger picture.

It proves and shows that Modi may approve and implement “rape” as a lawful/legal activity or the common law marriage act,as has implemented in the US and UK,in India thru which man and woman can live with each other without proper marriage and also even can have children protected by the Indian constitution/government.And suppose if this is happened in India then what will be the next form of the world’s largest democratic India and how much rape cases’ ratio shall be increased in India????Recommend

@aschraful makhlooq dude what warped sense of logic is this? Rape is an sexual act without ones consent. And live in relationship in USA,uk etc are with consent by both adults who wants to do it not forced upon. And btw in india live in relationship are already allowed and one can have children out of such relations and already have, you may not know commoners but celebs tennis player Leander paes and riya, many bollywood celebs etc. Such couples rights are protected under indian constitution. A live in relationship after few years is treated same as marriage under law in india. Where partner and kids bet the same benefit as one gets in a marriage. About modi reference he did not say such ridiculous statement it so its pointless to drag him into anything and everything just to take up points and create a controversy.